Last night Charlie and I had a great night. And by that I mean of course that we spent time somewhere with good food, excellent drinks, and lovely individuals. Slow Food Cincinnati hosted a happy hour at Maribelle’s Eat + Drink in Oakley for its members and supporters. Sharon from Eggplant to Go was kind enough to invite us and I am so happy she did. I got to discover a great new restaurant and meet a great selection of Cincinnatians who care about good food and drink done sustainably. After explaining to them the “slow alcohol” philosophy behind Tonic Tours I think they accepted me as one of their own.

Turkey On Pretzel and Macaroni & Cheese

The food was amazing, especially the sides. I think that next time I will just get a couple of small dishes, especially since Maribelle’s menu makes this very easy to do. Charlie had the a turkey and brie sandwich on a pretzel bun with a very generous side of macaroni and cheese. I had a black bean burger with a kale salad that was so good I almost didn’t miss french fries. But the great thing about the Slow Food group was that they were happy to share so I got to try several other things including the french fries with truffel aioli and the roasted sweet potatoes with whipped goat cheese and candied pecans. Food was on the pricey side for casual dining but portions were generous and the quality was well worth it.

Black Bean Burger with Kale Salad

The cocktails were all phenomenal, with fresh ingredients, creative recipes and balanced flavors. They had some really interesting house creations on offer as well as some nice classic recipes like the Aviator and the Ramos Gin Fizz. It was all I ask for in cocktails from a restaurant. Of course at $9 a pop I couldn’t indulge as much as I might have liked but the waiter kept my glass of water full so I was happy. I didn’t order any but the beer and wine list looked really great. Lots of local and craft representation in the beer and a nice range of prices for both.

Ramos Gin Fizz

The people of slow food were lovely and I highly recommend you check out some of their events. I got to meet a few chefs, the beer and wine buyer from Whole Foods Mason (look for a Bottoms Up podcast from their Tuesdays on Tap event coming soon), the event coordinator for Gorman Farms, and several more interesting and engaging individuals who are excited to support slow food. Just take a look at this great looking group.

If you want to check out what Slow Food Cincinnati has to offer for yourself you can follow their facebook page to find out about their upcoming events, including a great day of chef demos and workshops at Gorman Farm called Savor the Season on May 4th.